Device for raising sunken vessels



April 21, 1942.

w. w. SCOFIELD 2 ,280,547 DEVICE FOR RAISING 'SUNKEN VESSELS Filed Oct. a, 194i 3 Sheets-She et l ATTORNEYS,

April 21 11942. w. w. SCOFIELD 2,280,547

I V DEVICE FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS FilecLOct. 6, 1941 lIfIyQR ATTORN EYS April 21, 1942. w. W, scoFIELb DEVICE FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS Filed Ot. 6, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 21, 1942 UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,280,547 I DEVICE FOR RAISING SUNKEN VESSELS William W. Scofield, Old Greenwich, Conn. Application October 6, 1941, Serial No. 413,167

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for raising sunken vessels, such for example-as submarines or the like, and has for an object to provide a device which may be controlled'and operated entirely from the surface of the water. Another object is to provide a device of this character in which floats are used to provide the necessary buoyancy for raising the vessel and which floats are used for operating a series of jaws for engaging the vessel to raise it, simple means being provided for controlling or varying the buoyancy of the individual floats to control operation of the jaws and also to control lowering and raising of the device as a whole so that it may be lowered to the proper position with respect'to' the vessel to be raised, may be operated toengage or grip the vessel, and then be brought to the surface to raise the vessel. J

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have devised a construction one form of which I is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It is however to be understood that I am not limited to the specific details and arrangement shown but may employ various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side. elevation showing the device floating adjacent the surface of the water over a sunken vessel in position preparatory to lowering it to engage or grip the vessel, parts being broken away to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the device showing it lowered to position to grip the vessel;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing it with the jaws enclosed under and about the vessel;

Fig. 4 shows it being brought to the surface;

Fig. 5 is a view looking toward the right of Fig. 1 with parts broken away, and

Fig. 6 is a detail section through a pivot which may be used for connecting the different units.

The device comprises a series of jaws, two or more, depending on thesize of the vessel to be raised, and pivoted together so that they may be swung to engage the vessel for lifting it, preferably to extend under sides thereof, together with a pair of floats connected with each jaw in a definite relation so that varying the buoyancy of the'floats will operate the jaws to swing them to and from the open and closed positions raising and lowering of the device.

The device illustrated comprises four units 10 pivoted together by any suitable means, such the vessel from opposite and also control, the

for example as the pivots ll connecting adjacent units arranged side by side. of units may be varied depending on theeffective buoyancy of each unit and the size and weight of the vessel'to be raised. Each unit or assembled member comprises jaws l2' and two floats l3 and I4 connected therewith. The floats may be of different shape than that shown, but substantially the shape illustrated has been found to be very effective. The floats are substantially rectangular in cross section and the jaws 12 are mounted one on each of the opposite sides of the floats as shown, and secured thereto by any suitable means such as the rivets I5. The floats are preferably elongated hollow floats tapered so as to be wider at one end than at the other,

and the float i3 is arranged in substantially upright positionat one side of the pivot l l with its smaller end at the top, while the other float H of each unit extends from the pivot on the opposite side thereof and is preferably inclined downwardly with its larger end lower and spaced farther from the pivot. therefore at different angles to the horizontal, the float l3 as above stated being normally in a substantially upright position, while the float M is more nearly in a horizontal position.

The assembled members or units are arranged side by side with adjacent units in reversed relation so that the jaws 12' of two adjacent units extend in opposite directions from the pivots H- and thus oppose each other, so that the free lower ends of the jaws may move toward and from each other toclose and open the jaws and may extend underva sunken vessel indicated at [B from the opposite sides thereof. The jaws on one side of the pivot may if desired be connected by a transverse bar I'l with spacing sleeves l8 between them to thu'sstrengthen the jaws and make them more rigid in a lateral direction. The upper orsmaller end of the float I4 is extended as shown at H! somewhat up one side of the float l3to provide ,a high portion of the chamber in the floatv to which is connectedan air hose Zli. A similar air hose 2!. is connected to the upper part of the'chamber in float l3, and preferablyjthe inner end of the hoseconnection 22 extends downwardly the desiredi amount into the chamber or compartment so that it is not possible to permit all the air in the compartment to escape but a certain reserve will be maintained in the upper part of the compartment to give it a certain amountof buoyancy at this upper and free end of the float. At the lower part of each float l3 and I4 thereare'oneor more The number The two floats are them to sink and this openings 23 and 24 respectively to permit flow of water to and from the compartment of the float. Air may be forced into the various floats from any suitable supply, such for example as the air pumps 25 located on any suitable vessel 26 and controlled by suitable valves 27 to either supply air to the compartments in the floats or control exit of air from these compartments. The floats are made of such a size that the aggregate buoyancy of all the floats connected together provide adequate buoyancy to lift the vessel.

The operation is as follows: With the device floating at the surface of the water it may be towed by a suitable vessel to the proper location over the known position of the sunken vessel to be raised. If the floats are all filled with air the jaws will be closed due to the buoyancy of the floats I4. If now the pressure relief valves 2'! are manipulated to permit air to escape from the floats I 4 and permit water to enter these floats through the openings 24, the: buoyancy of these floats will be reduced and their weight will cause coupled with the buoyancy of the floats I3 still filled with air will swing the jaws to the open position about their pivots II, which is the position shown in Fig. 1. This will be clear, noting that the float I la nearest the observer connected to the jaws In as it becomes filled with water tends to move downwardly about the pivot II and swing the jaw IM to the left or open position, and the buoyancy of the float I3a tends to raise this float and swing the jaw to the same or open position. Similarly the float M1) on the next unit as water enters tends to sink and swing its jaw I2b to the right or the open position while float I3b connected thereto, through its buoyancy tends to rise and assist in this movement.

The jaws are now in the position shown in Fig. 1, and by permitting more air to escape from the floats I4 they may be permitted to become fully filled with water. If this is not sufiicient to cause the device to move downwardly in the water, air may be permitted to escape from the generally upright floats I3 permitting water to enter them through the openings 23. This of course decreases the buoyancy of these floats and will permit the whole device to sink, the weight of the floats I4 and the buoyancy of the floats I3 maintaining the jaws in the open position during this movement. As the device sinks it may be guided by suitable lines or other means from accompanying vessels on the surface of the water so that it will move downwardly in proper position directly over the vessel I6, and by control ling the exit of air the speed of the downward movement may be controlled or this movement may be stopped at any desired position to permit shifting and properly locating of the device.

II and this assisted by the weight swing the free ends of the jaws I2 toward each other and move them to a position under the vessel, as shown in Fig. 3. The buoyancy of these lower floats IQ is not enough They will thus swing upwardlyto raise the device as a whole because there is at this time suiflcient water in the floats I3 to prevent this.

The floats are now in the position shown in Fig. 3 with the jaws closed under the vessel. Now air is forced into the floats I3 forcing the water in them out through the openings 23 and so increasing the buoyance of these floats that together with the buoyancy of the floats I4 the combined buoyancy of all the floats is sufficient to raise the device to the surface and carry with it the sunken vessel, Fig. 4 showing the device approaching the surface of the water and carrying the vessel with it. After it has been raised to proper position, divers may enter the sunken vessel or the whole device may be towed to a harbor or shallow water and the sunken vessel deposited on the bottom in this shallow water where it is easily accessible.

The jaws I2 may be so designed that the weight of the vessel is not sufficient to open them against the action of the buoyancy of the floats vided to automatically catch and hold the adjacent units together after the jaws reach the closed position. Thus a stop 30 on the float I4 may engage the inclined edge 3| on the pivoted one side as the jaws come together in the position of Fig. 3 and then the stop 30 to retain them in this position. As above stated, however, such a device is not necessary but may be used to insure that nothing will open the jaws till it is desired to do so. I

Asabove indicated, the floats and jaws will be made of a ering operation. It is as readily controlled to.

engage or grip the vessel and then raise it and to carry it to any location desired.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, whatI claim is: r,

1. A device of the character described comprising opposed members pivoted together in reversed relation, each member comprising a pair of hollow floats extending in opposite directions from said pivot, jaws on said members adapted to extend from opposite sides under a sunken vessel, means for supplying air to and releasing it from the upper portions of said floats, and means at the lower part of said floats for flow of water to and from the floats.

2. A device of the character described comprising jaws pivoted together and adapted to extend under a sunken vessel from opposite sides thereof, a pair of elongated hollow floats connected to each jaw, one of said pair extending in a generally upright position at one side of the pivot and the other being inclined downwardly away from the pivot on the opposite side thereof, means for supplying air to and releasing it from the higher portions of said floats, and means for permitting flow of water to and releasing it from the lower portions of said floats.

3. A device of the character described comprising jaws pivoted together and adapted to extend under a sunken vessel from opposite sides thereof, a pair of hollow floats connected to each jaw, one of said floats located on one side of the pivot so that when filled with air its buoyancy tends to move the jaw connected therewith to a position under the vessel, the other float being located on the opposite side of the pivot so that when filled with air its buoyancy tends to move the jaw in the opposite direction, means for supplying air to and releasing it from the higher portions of said floats, and means for permitting flow of water to and releasing it from the lower portions of said floats.

4. A device of the character described comprising jaws pivoted together to swing to and .from closed position, said jaws adapted when closed to extend under a sunken vessel from opposite sides thereof, a pair of elongated hollow floats connected to each jaw, one of which floats is in a generally upright position on one side of the pivot and when fllled with air tends to move its jaw to the open position and the other of said floats extending away from the pivot on the opposite side thereof and when filled with air tends to move the jaw to closed position, means for supplying air to and releasing it from the higher portions of said floats, and means for permitting flow of water to and releasing it from the lower portions of said floats to change the buoyancy thereof.

5. A device of the character described comprising jaws pivoted together to swing to and from closed position, said jaws adapted when closed to extend under a sunken vessel from opposite sides thereof, a generally upright hollow float connected to each jaw and located on the same side of the pivot as the jaw so that its buoyancy tends to swing the jaw to open position, a second hollow float connected to each jaw and located on the opposite side of the pivot from the j aw so that its buoyancy tends to move the jaw to closed position, means for supplying air to and releasing it from the upper portions of said floats, and said floats having openings in the lower portions thereof to permit water to enter and leave the floats to change the buoyancy thereof.

6. A device of the character described comprising a pair of pivoted jaws extending in opposite directions from the pivot to swing to and from open and closed positions, a pair of elongated hollow floats connected to each jaw and arranged one on each of the opposite sides of the pivot so that one of said floats by its buoyancy tends .to swing its connected jaw to open position and the other float by its buoyancy tends to swing it to closed position, each float having an opening in the lower portion thereof for entrance and exit of water to vary the buoyancy thereof, and means for supplying air to and releasing it from the upper portion of the floats to control the amount of water in the floats.

7. A device of the character described comprising a pair of jaws pivoted together to extend in opposite directions from the pivot to swing to and from open and closed positions and adapted when closed to engage a sunken vessel, a pair of elongated hollow floats connected to each jaw, one of the floats of each jaw extending in a generally upright position on one side of the pivot so that its buoyancy tends to open the jaw, the other float extending from the opposite side of the pivot and inclined downwardly so that its buoyancy tends to close the jaw, each float having an opening in the lower part thereof for entrance and exit of water to vary the buoyancy of the float, and means for supplying air to and releasing it from the upper portions of the floats to control the amount of water in the floats.

8. A device of the'character described comprising jaws pivoted together to swing to and from open and closed positions and adapted when closed to engage a sunken vessel for raising it, a pair of floats connected to each jaw and located on opposite sides of the pivot so that the buoyancy of one float tends to open the jaw and the buoyancy of the other float tends to close it, and means for varying the buoyancy of the floats to control the opening and closing of the jaws and raising and lowering of the device.

WILLIAM W. SCOFIELD. 

